Hot stuff on the streets

From European Voice's Entre-Nous column

9/28/11, 9:10 PM CET

Updated 4/23/14, 9:12 PM CET

Belgian rubbish collectors play a part in European Mobility Week.

European Mobility Week this year followed an almost standard pattern. Car-free events were celebrated in a number of European capitals. Other activities included an event to promote cycling and all manner of bike-related products on the esplanade in front of the European Parliament on Thursday (22 September), which is designated World Car-Free Day.

The same day, the rubbish collectors of Brussels came up with a more effective way of making people realise how frustrating it can be to travel to work by car. Upset at plans to transfer responsibility for street cleaning from the central Brussels region to the smaller communes, they held a wildcat strike, set fire to piles of rubbish on several of the city’s major roads, and caused gridlock.

Also doing his bit to promote sustainable transport was Maroš Šefcovic, the European commissioner for inter-institutional relations and administration.

Šefcovic attended an event called “Towards the future – driving the future today”, and couldn’t resist getting behind the wheel of an electric vehicle designed by a Belgian, Xavier van der Stappen. Ideal for dodging the flaming dustbins en route to the EU institutions.